Dark & Light

When decorating your home, you’ll never go wrong if you fall back on the adage that opposites attract. Art galleries have been using white walls to showcase work for years, while interior designers know that rooms decorated in black, navy or charcoal can be cave-like havens from the outside world. If you opt for a dark and moody interior, add further drama with glossy surfaces, pattern and texture. Counter the dark mood a little by adding light tones – pale colours have the ability to bounce light into a room.

Opposites attract

Always test colours before committing to them – they can appear to change dramatically when placed next to another hue. When it comes to selecting the right shade of white, Ashburton colour consultant Cheryl Fowler suggests Resene ‘Quarter Ash’, ‘Thorndon Cream’ or ‘Ecru White’. “Colours are now swaying towards whites with a touch of green in them.”

In the bedroom

There’s something satisfying about starting the day with a well-made bed. It sets the tone for the rest of the day. Job done. Conversely, a rumpled bed can be just as beautiful, particularly when the tones are layered and contrasting. Choose a theme, then create layers of colour, pattern and texture. Stick to your theme and you’ll have a bed that looks good messy or made.

The rough and the smooth

Contrasting colours and textures work exceptionally well in kitchens, such as this ultra-contemporary design from Studio Italia.

11. Kitchen by Studio Italia

12Jonsson wall clock, $165, from Father Rabbit.

Petal power

Auckland-based photographer Helen Bankers has a passion for flora and fauna. This artwork, Peony Cluster Blue (1200mm x 860mm unframed print, $2160), is from her series of floral prints partly inspired by the paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe. “I enjoy looking at the fine form and intricacy of flowers and plants,” says Helen. “From that passion grew a series with a focus on botanical studies.” The abstract images, which often combine close-up detail, colour and texture, are part of limited-edition collection of fine-art prints. Helen’s collection is available at helenbankers.com.

Fly my pretties

These beautiful glass birds are a collaboration between artists Katherine Rutecki and Luke Jacomb. In 2006 they introduced their collaboration, Lukeke Design, an affordable range of handmade works. The talented glass artists each has work in private and public collections, such as the Ebeltoft Glass Museum in Denmarkand Corning Museum of Glass in New York.